The Vital Village Bus Link will be launched today to let teenagers from the villages of West Rainton, Pittington, Sherburn and Shadforth join in after-school activities at Belmont Comprehensive School.

Pupils will be able to take part in the activities and then travel home for free to villages not served by a direct bus route.

ROCK NIGHTS: Erik and the Vikings will be playing at The Gallery, Chester Moor, near Chester-le-Street, on Friday, and New Age Jam - a tribute to new wave chart-toppers The Jam - will perform on Sunday. Both gigs start at 8.30pm and admission costs £2. For details call the venue on 0191-388 4588.

DEFENCE COURSE: The Song Moo Kwon Academy of Taekwondo is holding classes for adults on Monday nights between 7pm and 8.30pm at Belmont Community Association, Sunderland Road, Durham. The sessions cost £1.80. Junior sessions are held on Wednesdays, from 7pm to 8pm, and cost £1.20. For details, call instructor Neil Wilson on 0191-383 3570.

IN FOCUS: Durham photographer Philip Nixon collected three awards at the Master Photographers' Association North-East Annual Awards - licentiate wedding photographer of the year, Press and PR photographer of the year and a pictorial award of excellence. In February he was awarded the Diploma in Photographic Practice.

CHURCH CONCERT: St Oswald's Church, Grindon, Sunderland, is holding an evening of music, featuring the City of Sunderland Brass Band, on Friday, starting at 7pm. Tickets cost £2.50, and are available at the door. Proceeds will go towards a new centre at St Thomas's Church in Pennywell.

COACH TRIP: The Chester-le-Street fundraising group of Durham's St Cuthbert's Hospice has booked a second coach to Alnwick Castle Gardens and the Heighley Gate Garden Centre on Saturday, May 25. The coach will leave Durham at 9am and call at Chester-le-Street 15 minutes later. Tickets cost £10 and are available by calling 0191-386 1170.

TOP BRASS: The Pride Valley Brass Band, from Sunderland, won first prize in the second section and second prize in the first section of the Cumbrian Brass Band Championships, at the weekend. The band, which is sponsored by Pride Valley Foods, of Seaham, received two trophies and £900.

BUS SURGERY: Go North-East will hold a bus users' surgery in the bus lay-by next to the Washington Galleries Travel Centre from 11am to 2pm tomorrow.

FOLK NIGHT: Dana Robinson will be the guest artist when the Davy Lamp Folk Club meets on Saturday at The Arts Centre, Biddick Lane, Fatfield, Washington, between 8pm and 11pm. There is a cover charge.

MAST PLAN: Hutchison 3G UK is seeking prior approval from Durham City Council for a mobile phone mast at the Red Oak Inn, Lowland Road, Brandon.